


Crossing the Line

by Katiedonna



Series: Elfling Stories [2]
Category: The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types
Genre: Family moments, Fluff, Gen, brotherly fights
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-01
Updated: 2013-03-01
Packaged: 2017-12-03 23:02:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,739
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/703641
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Katiedonna/pseuds/Katiedonna
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Elladan and Elrohir get along for the most part. Although they look alike, the two are as different as night and day. sometimes allowing them to work through their own problems can lead to bigger problems especially when the twins get carried away.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Crossing the Line

**Author's Note:**

> They are'nt mine but I get to play with them as long as I leave them intact.  
> Elladan and Elrohir are elflings and Yule is just around the corner.

 

 

The one thing that always seemed to make the winter Yule festivities brighter, was the snow. This year there was no shortage of it and to Elrond’s thinking perhaps just a bit too much of it. Both of his sons had counted the days down to when their classes would end and their holidays begin. It also meant the days were shorter so the twins spent as much time as they could out in the snow before being called in as the shadows grew longer. With a chorus of “ awwwssss” and a dragging of feet,  Elladan and Elrohir would slowly come into the house where their mother would help them undress, often tsking at just how wet through they were.

Today, however, Elrond decided to hurry up their pace and called to them.

“But Ada,” Elrohir called back, “you said five minutes.”

“That was five minutes ago,” Elrond said as he winked at Celebrian, “ but then of course if you do not want your early Yule gift, I suppose it can wait another five minutes.”

Elladan and Elrohir looked at each other.

 “Are you done here?” Elladan asked.

“I am done here.” Elladan said. “Are you?”

“You know it would be bad manners....,” Elladan began.

“....To keep ada waiting,” Elrohir finished as he brushed some snow off of his cloak.

“It is also bad manners.... Elladan remarked looking back up to the house.

“...To not listen.” Elrohir said thoughtfully.

Dropping the snow cubes they had made for building a snow fort, both elfling ran for the door.

Elrond laughed as the twins raced to the house.

“You are a tease Elrond Eärendilion.” Celebrian said, with a smile and already prepared to stop her   energetic sons at the door before they managed to tear through the house, soaking wet.  Warm towels lay folded on a chair in the entrance.

“Well it worked,” Elrond replied giving his wife a quick kiss on the cheek. “You wanted them in,” he grinned as he opened the door and the pair came into the hallway.

Waiting was extremely hard for the twins. Before they could even get their early Yule gift they had to endure a good rub down from their mother who stripped them of their outerwear down to their smallclothes before marching them up to their room while she muttered to herself about how they had managed to get so wet.

“Nana.” Elrohir finally said as he peered out from underneath the thick towel his mother was rubbing his hair with. “You are going to rub my hair off.”

“Do not get cheeky tithen- pen”, Celebrian said.  “Now off to the dressing room to get dressed.” She added giving the youngest of her twin sons a swat on his bottom. “It is a wonder that you both do not turn blue and catch a chill from getting so wet and cold.”

“Nana,” Elladan said using his matter of fact tone. “We cannot possibly turn blue nor can we catch a chill. We are three quarters elf as ada is half-elf and you are all elf.  That makes us three quarter elf and elves don’t get chills”

Celebrian sighed. The older of the twins had readily taken to the healing arts and forever had his nose in a book, Elrond was more than happy to teach him but some days it could be exasperating. “Well get dressed before you do catch a chill as it is possible  for elflings to do so.”

  She held up her hand as Elladan opened his mouth. “Not another word!  Go get dressed.”

Shaking his head, Elladan walked into the dressing room to change.

 

Dry and in clean clothes, Elladan and Elrohir sat excitedly on the settee by the large fireplace and giggled as Elrond placed a gift into each of their hands.

 “The first day of Yule,” he said.

Elrohir ripped open his package and grinned at the wooden jointed bird on strings.

 “A puppet bird!” he exclaimed with a wide grin then got down off the settee and began making the bird walk about the room.

Elladan took his time to carefully open his package. Celebrian and Elrond shared a glance. Elladan had always taken care to open any gift presented to him while Elrohir would hastily rip his apart.

“It’s perfect,” Elladan breathed as he slowly turned the stone mortar bowl and pestle around in his hands. Inside the bowl he found a small package of fine herbs and minted oil in a small bottle.

“What did you get?” Elrohir said excitedly as he ran over to his brother. “Can I see?”

“No, you cannot touch it. It is not a toy,” Elladan said.

“I didn’t say touch it,” Elrohir said sarcastically. “I said seeeeeee it.” He added as he clicked his tongue, and muttered under his breath. It was a habit he had developed when he felt someone didn’t hear him right. “Ada, make him let me see it.”

Elrond raised an eyebrow at Elrohir.

 

 “It is his gift and for now he may enjoy it by himself for a while just as you should be enjoying your own gift.

Elrohir twisted his lip. Although he did not say it out loud, he felt his gift was better anyway. At least he could _play_ with his.

                                ****~****~****~****~****~****~****~****~****~****~****~****

 

Elrohir had no idea why he was sneaking into his brothers’ room.  After all it was his room too. He sighed as he gently closed the door. It felt like he had butterflies in his stomach.

“Only to look,” he promised himself.

 But looking had led to touching and soon his brothers prized mortar bowl and Pestle given to him by their adar was in his hands. Carefully he tiptoed to his bed and sat down. Elladan had requested in a bossy sort of way that Elrohir not touch it. What made it worse was the fact Ada had agreed with. Elladan had said Elrohir was not to touch it. But only for a moment wouldn’t hur,t Elrohir convinced himself.  Carefully he spun the pestle around the bowl then sighed. He could not see for the life of him what it was about the thing that Elladan liked so much.

“Stupid thing,” He muttered as he rose. All interest in it gone, Elrohir decided to put it back before his brother returned from his music lessons. As he stepped upon the chair, his foot slipped and he let go of the bowl to catch himself from falling. He could only watch helplessly as the mortar bowl hit the stone floor and broke into two pieces. Snatching the pieces up, Elrohir hurriedly put them back up on the shelf then moved some of the other trinkets up against the mortar bowl so the two pieces stayed in place. He then carefully placed the pestle inside. After the evening meal he would go and get some glue to put it back together. Letting out the breath he had been holding he then scrambled down from the chair pushing it back in its place just as Elladan walked into the room.

Elladan eyed his brother “What are you up to?

“Nothing, I was just going to ...., do my homework. I...,I needed a quill.”

“You have your own quills on your desk.  Besides it’s the Yule holidays. We have no homework. Be sides Ada says you are not to touch mine.”

Elrohir frowned “Ada said, Ada said,” he mimicked. “Anyways I was just getting a head start.”

“A head start on what?,” Elladan asked shaking his head.

“Why our lessons, of course.” Elrohir snapped back.

“How can you get a head start on our lessons when you don’t eve n know what they are yet?” Lord Erestor has not given us any. He told us we were free of them for two weeks.” Elladan said in a tone that sounded just a bit too much like their Ada.

“Maybe......, I have inside information.” Elrohir grinned. “I asked Lord Erestor’s scribe.”

Elladan scowled as he carefully put away his lute. “You and your made up stories are going to get you into trouble.”

“I don’t know when you got so bossy, Elrohir said as he sat on his bed. It is getting rather annoying.  Just because you think you are smarter than me.”

“I am smarter than you, stupid.”

Elrohirs’ eyes grew big. “I’m telling Ada you swore.”

“I did not.”

“You said stupid and that’s a swear word ‘cause I do not like the sound of it.”

“Well you swore too, you said stupid.”

“I only said stu.... Elrohir paused, “I only said it to tell you what you said. Stupid!”

Elladan frowned. He pulled the chair out from his desk and proceeded to stand on it. Elrohir’s eyes grew wide.

“You shouldn’t be doing that. Ada said it is dangerous. You could slip and fall.” Elrohir said as he began to twist his hair with his finger.

“I will be careful.” Elladan said as he reached up to the shelf to retrieve the mortar and pestle.

“What are you doing?”

“Ada gave me some herbs and healing salve to mix.”

“Co...couldn’t you use one of his old bowls? That one is too…. umm pretty an... and  it is uh.. it is a gift an you should,.., shouldn’t pl...play with it.” Elrohir nodded in agreement with himself, “Right, he muttered you shouldn’t play with it.” he repeated.

 “First of all it is not a bowl. It is a mortar and I’d like to use it. That’s what it is for and it’s not a toy so I am not playing with it.  I am _using_ it.”

“You shouldn’t.” Elrohir squeaked just as the mortar fell apart to Elladans’ touch and the pestle rolled off the edge of the shelf and onto the floor.

Elrohir looked away as Elladan carefully took the pieces down.

 “You broke it.” Elladan said.

“I di..did...not, Elrohir stuttered.  “It must have been cracked...or something.”

“It was not cracked when I put it up there.” Elladan replied. “Ada would not give me a cracked mortar,”

“Well maybe a bird flew in the open window and knocked it down.”

“Right, and that bird put it back up here with my other stuff around it to hide the fact that it is broken.” Elladan huffed. “You are a poor liar Elrohir, and Ada will not like that.”

“You’re going to tell Ada? That’s telling tales an... it was an accident. I ..I only wanted to look at it. I didn’t mean to break it. I slipped and I dropped it an...and I’m sorry.” Elrohir swallowed hard he knew exactly how much their Ada did not like lies.

Elladan frowned. “Sorry is not good enough. I wish I had my own room.” Elladan twisted his lip. He walked around the room and nodded. “This half is mine and that half is yours. You cannot come on this side. At all.”

“But the..., “Elrohir began.

“No buts. I am tired of you touching my stuff and breaking it. From now on my stuff is here and your stuff goes there.”

Elrohir frowned. “But how will we remember what part is yours and what part is mine.”

Elladan nodded again the way he did when an idea had formed in his head and he agreed with himself that it was a good idea. “We need white paint.”

“We do?” Elrohir questioned raising both eyebrows.

“We do.”

****~****~****~****~****~****~****~****~****~****~****~****~****~

It did not take long for Elrond and Celebrian to figure out something was going on between the twins. For the most part the two got along beautifully but sometimes they would get into arguments which generally worked themselves out in a couple of days.

Celebrian put it down to what she referred to as “shack wackiness” meaning with the days growing shorter the twins could not spend as much time outside as they wanted to, leaving them with little to do inside other than complaining they were bored and had nothing to do. This usually brought about little episodes of disagreements and tonight it was no different. Celebrian could only look at Elrond as the twins came to the supper table with that certain look.

“Ada can you please tell Elladan to pass the butter?”

Elrond gave Elrohir a quizzical look. “You know you can ask him yourself.”

“No, I cannot.”

Celebrian hid her smile. “Why is that tithen-pen?”

“cause we are not talking.”

Elrond looked at Elladan. “What brought this on?”

Elladan shrugged. “Nothing Ada,” he said as he picked up the plate of butter and  passed it behind his brother who was sitting next to him and gave it to his adar.

Seeing that both of his sons were not about to divulge any information into what may have transpired between them Elrond looked at his wife. She slightly shook her head. It served no purpose to get involved with the twins’ squabbles. Usually they worked it out within a day or so. For now Elrond would leave it unless it got to be too much or upset the household.

He began to rethink this that evening as he prepared the twins for bed. Usually they enjoyed their bath together however tonight they wished separate baths. So Elrond took Elrohir into his own bathing chambers and allowed him to prepare for bed there. He could only shake his head when he walked into their room. A wide white line was painted in the middle of the floor from one end of the room to the other. It started under the window and ended at the top of the fireplace. Elrohir’s bed stood on the far end of one wall and Elladans’ on the other.

Elladan and Elrohir said nothing as they crawled into their beds. 

Elrond sat on the edge of Elrohirs’ bed. “Where did the white line come from tithen –pen.”

“From Elladan.” Elrohir said. “It was his idea.”

“And you,” Elladan said raising his voice,” You agreed to it.”

Elrond looked form one twin to the other and sighed. “What are the rules about paint?”

Elrohir swallowed. “We cannot use it without supervision.., but I was supervised Ada. Elladan saw me use it and I saw him use it. So we were supervised.”

“Are you going to tell me why you chose to paint such a wide white strip in the middle of the wooden floors?” Elrond asked Elrohir.

“We had to Ada.”

“Elladan, would you care to explain?”

“We had to Ada.”

Elrond sighed. There was no point in trying to get any information from the pair as to why the white line was there.

 “Very well, but until you can tell me, the both of you are confined to your room.”

“If we are, I prefer to be confined in another room where I do not have to look at him.” Elladan said.

Elrohir wrinkled his nose at his brother. “I would not care. You snore anyway. Really loud, like an Oliphant.  You’d make one run away.”

Elrond sighed. “Elrohir, I think that is enough tithen-pen.”

“And you would scare him from all the noise you make.” Elrohir added with a snort then quickly thought better of adding more to his rant as Elrond walked over and gave him a firm swat on his bottom.

“I will not warn you again.”

“Sorry Ada.”

Elrond gave his son a hug and tucked him in. “Goodnight”

 

The twins both frowned and gave each other a glare before turning away from each other and settling down under their covers.

Over the next few days Elrond felt he should step in on more than one occasion as whatever Elladan and Elrohir were disagreeing about seemed to only get worse and they still had not explained to him why they painted a white line down the middle of their room. Celebrian would shake her head at him and remind him to leave it be. It was best to allow the elfling twins to come up with a solution and solve the problem themselves.

Elrond was not so sure.

                                                                 ****~****~****~****~

Elrohir fidgeted his toes barely on the white line waiting as Elladan examined the polished stone in his hand.

“Come on, Elrohir muttered. I have to pee. I gave you the stone so now you have to let me use the bathing chambers.” You said I pay you and I can go.”

Elladan twisted his lip. “Well all right, you may pass.” He couldn’t help but giggle as his brother ran into the bathing chamber.

Moments later Elrohir returned and scowled. “I think we should have painted that line the other way.”

“No, Elladan said. I kind of think this way is better.”

“That’s only ‘cause I have to give you stuff which I think is stupid. Elrohir picked up his boot and threw it at Elladan who grinned as he caught it.

“Oh look, YOUR boot is on MY side of the room and that makes it MINE!”

“So, I do not care ‘cause look at what I got.” Elrohir beamed holding up Elladan’s hairbrush.

“You are not allowed to take things from my side of the room. Give it back!”

“Make me.”

Elladan started across the room and paused as Elrohir held up his hand. “YOU CAN NOT PASS!” he shouted pointing to the white line. He grinned triumphantly as Elladan frowned.

“Doesn’t matter really. I don’t need it. Besides look what I found on my side,” Elladan said triumphantly.

Elrohir’s eyes grew wide as Elladan held up his orange and white stuffed cat. He swallowed hard. “You have to give him back. He’s mine and he was on my desk chair. He must have fallen off.”

“Doesn’t matter,” the older twin said.” It’s on my side and that makes him mine.”

Elrohir swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat. “Fine then,” he said with little quaver in his voice. “I am too old for him anyhow.”

Elrond had been startled at the sudden rise in his sons’ voices. They were to be getting ready for bed and he figured they must be ready with all the shouting going on. “Now?” He questioned his wife.

Celebrian smiled as she took his hand.

 “No, not now,” she laughed at her husbands’ look of dismay. “Come I believe the children asked for a bed time story.”

Reading the twins two different bedtime stories was a feat all on its own. Elrond felt his patience   growing thin as Elladan complained that he could not hear the story his naneth was reading him for Elrond was reading too loudly to Elrohir. Finally Elrond chose to take Elrohir to his own chambers and read to him there. He did take note that the younger twin seemed more subdued and when he asked him if something was amiss. Elrohir simply shook his head and said he was just really tired.

Elrond took Elrohir back to his own room, tucked him in and brushed away the stray bits of ebony hair. “Sweet dreams ion-nin.”

Doing the same to Elladan, both Celebrian and Elrond left the room.

Elladan lay on his back with his eyes open staring at the ceiling. There was no mistake as to what he heard. Elrohir wept quietly into his pillow. Sitting up, Elladan picked up the orange and white stuffed cat and gently tossed it over to Elrohir’s bed.

 “I do not need two of them.” He stated and then lay back down.

Elrohir pulled his stuffed cat under his blankets and close to him. “Elladan?”

“What?”

“Thank you.”

                                                                ***~****~****~****~****~****~

Elrond made a silent prayer to the Valar for his sons to behave during the evening festivities where all of the elves in Rivendell would be present. It was something the twins looked forward to for it would not only mark the beginning of the winter and it also meant that the days would start growing longer. He could only sigh, as the twins did appear all dressed in their finest clothes.  Elladan looked like he had just gotten out of bed for his hair stuck out at all angles and he had a very large snarl sticking out from the side of his head that resembled a bird’s nest. Elrohir stood silently beside his brother but not too closely, wearing only one boot.  His other foot was encased in a soaking wet stocking. Elrond knew any explanations as to their appearance would be met with unusual answers so he decided to take a different approach. Walking up to the elflings he herded them into his study.

 “I am not going to even ask why the two of you chose to come to this evening festivities looking in such a state. I will simply tell you both to fix it NOW!”

“Yes Ada.” The pair said in unison and watched their Adar return to the guests.

 Both headed out of the study and down the hall. Elladan turned to his right as Elrohir turned to his left and took a breath as he opened up the atrium’s glass doors and stepped outside into the snow. He then began the perilous climb up the wooden lattice that stood outside his bedroom window. He had been doing this now since he and Elladan had decided to paint the white line, for the door was unfortunately on his brother’s side of the room and he didn’t have enough stones to bargain with. Once inside he found his brother standing in the room, arms folded and a scowl on his face.

“I need my brush.” Elladan stated.

“I need my boot.”  Elrohir shot back.

“Fine,” Elladan said as he held up his brothers’ boot. “An even trade: brush for the boot.”

Elrohir nodded and retrieved Elladan’s brush from his secret hiding place. “On the count of three.”

Elladan nodded and together they counted then threw the boot and the hairbrush at the same time. While Elrohir changed his sock and put on his boot, Elladan worked the tangles out of his hair. Both finished, nodded to one another and while Elladan walked through the door, Elrohir opened the window and took a moment to shut it before setting himself into a crouch then jumped down to the snow below.

 

Very few things startled Celebrian, but the ones that did usually involved her sons. Tonight was no different. She was standing by the floor length atrium windows when a movement caught her eye. Not only did it catch her eye, it also caught the eye of many of the guest who could only stare as Elrohir flashed past the window and to the snow covered ground below. Those who witnessed Elrohir’s daring jump gasped. The sound of glass breaking could be heard throughout the hall as many dropped their wine glasses. Celebrian let out a strangled screech of surprise at seeing her son drop out of nowhere while Erestor managed to take her by the arm and lead her to a large comfortable chair as she went quite pale. Elrond was at her side in seconds.

“Now,” she said to him, before they manage to send me to the grey havens sooner than I would like.”

“Now what?” he asked not sure what it was his wife was asking of him.

“Talk to your children, NOW!” She said, before taking a breath,” this has gone on too long.”

Elrond nodded and looked at the twins as Elladan and Elrohir came into the Hall of Fire at the same time. Both, wore a look of confusion since everyone was looking at them and their Naneth was sitting, looking pale,  in a large chair.

“Wonder what happened?” Elrohir said as he brushed some snow off of his leggings.

 Elrond nodded to some of the guests and approached his sons. Placing his hands on their shoulders he looked at them.

“Room, my little ones. We need to talk.”

 

 

 

 

Elrond followed the twins up to their room and placed a chair on the white line.  He had Elladan stand on one side of him and Elrohir on the other.

 “Tonight this ends,” he said perhaps a bit more sternly than he wanted to.

 

 Being the lord of Imladris did have its advantages. Elrond had practice at listening to two arguments at the same time and it came in handy when one had twin sons. Finally he got them to tell him the   reason for the disagreement and had to sit back a moment to take it all in.

 Making a decision, he hoped it would bring an end to the twins’ antics. First he turned to Elrohir. “What are the rules about touching things that do not belong to you?”  He looked into the dark brown eyes. “I believe it has been made clear to you?”

Elrohir swallowed. “I am not allowed to.”

“Did you break Elladan’s property and then try to cover it up?”

“Yes Ada. But I was going to fix it.”

“What happens when you break rules and try to hide things?”

 Elrond waited as Elrohir began to twist his hair in his finger and chew on his bottom lip.

“Ada,” Elrohir said, “I don’t want a spanking. I didn’t mean it honest. It was an accident. I said I was sorry.”

“I am sure it was tithen –pen and I am sure you did say sorry but, you broke a rule and you were hiding things. That is a lot like lying is it not?”

Elrohir slowly nodded his head. Lifting Elrohir up over his lap, Elrond proceeded to take down his leggings stopping only when he heard a stifled sob coming from Elladan.

“No Ada, please don’t.  He didn’t mean it. It was an accident. Don’t spank Roh.” Elladan sobbed out.

Elrond looked at the older twin

“Are you sure?”

Elladan had tears running down his face. “Yes Ada I am sure”

“Very well,” Elrond relented, reordering his son’s clothing.  “Since it is Yule and your brother has forgiven you, we will say no more about it.  Another time I might not be so lenient.”

Elrond kept his face serious as he let Elrohir up, giving him a pat on his seat of his leggings.

Elrohir glanced at his twin who opened his arms and in an instant he was in them.

 “I am sorry El.”

“Me too.”

“Are we still friends?”

“Better than friends.  We are brothers.”

Elrond knew he should discuss with the twins about the importance of using the doors and not a window but decided it was best to leave it alone. Elladan and Elrohir where now chattering to each other about moving things around in their room and discussing just how they were going to get rid of the painted white line.

Elrond smiled. “You both can leave it for now and attend the festivities. But please do not give your Naneth any more, shall I say, surprises. I am sure one is enough for tonight.”

“All right, Ada.” Elladan and Elrohir said together and taking each other by the hand they skipped out the door.

Elrond frowned as he took a look at himself in the mirror on his sons’ wall. Taking a moment he wound a white strand of hair around his finger and gave it a firm pull. Looking at it he sighed.

                                                                ****~****~****~****~****~****~****~

 

A few days later just before the sun came up, Elladan awoke to see Elrohir sitting at the foot of his bed with a wrapped package in his hands.

“Roh what are you doing up? It’s really early.”

“I... I made this for you.” Elrohir said as he held the package out.

Elladan took the gift and carefully unwrapped it. His eyes grew big. “It’s a....”

Elrohir bounced on the bed. “A bowl, I mean a mortar,...bowl. I made it. Do you like it? You cannot have a pestle without a mortar and Ada helped me make it. Do you like it?”

Elladan ran his hand over the stone mortar then looked at his brother. “It is the bestest mortar I have even seen and I love it because you made it.”

Elrond and Celebrian smiled from the open doorway as their boys hugged each other than began talking about what they would be doing that day.

Celebrian sighed. “I am glad they cleared that mess up and they are happy with each other again.”

Elrond agreed but he had to wonder how long the peace and quiet would last.

The end


End file.
